Humidifier



Patented Aug. '3, 1943 OFFICE HUMIDIFIER I Richard C. Wittman,Emporium,'Pa. Application as so, 1941, Serial No. 404,665 2 Claims.((11. 261-103) g This invention relates to humidifiers, and moreparticularly to humidifiers to condition the air i-n'hornes and officesfor human consumption.

It is a well-known fact that in our present civilization homes ando-fiices are many'times kept at high temperatures during cold weather.The heat expands the fresh air which seeps into the rooms and throughsuch expansion reduces or evaporates the moisture normally present inthe air, with the result that it becomes too dry and is detrimental tohealth.

An object of this invention is to provide a humidifier which may bereadily adapted to existing heating systems and which will provide anadequate amount of moisture in the air.

A further object is to provide a unit of the type described which willbe simple in construction, automatic and economical in operation, andwhich will require very little care or supervision.

A still further object is to provide a humidifier which will not occupya great amount of space and which may be placed in any convenientlocation.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as thedescription proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 is a side elevation in crosssection of a humidifier embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 isan end View thereof, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1; p

Fig. 4 is a detailed view of the tubes used to distribute the water;

Fig. 5 is a View showing the manner in which my invention may be tappedinto the ordinary hot air furnace;

Fig. 6 is a view showing the manner in which the device may be used withthe conventional steam or hot water heating system.

I provide an outer casing Ill which may be provided with doors Ii and I2hinged thereto at 13. The casing id is provided with an'intake pipe l4and outlet pipes it, It and ii. Obviously, there may be as many intakeand outlet pipes as is necessary for the particular use to which theunit is to be put. l

Mounted in the upper portion of the unit'on the angle iron 29 by meansof the supporting rod 2| is a water pan 22. carrying -non-corrosivetubes plugs 26 or by manipulating the bolt 21 on thesupportingmernberzl. I l.

Mounted below the pan 22 are, the rods 30 which support fabric sheets3!. These sheets may be made of any suitable absorbent fabric but bestresults are secured by. using a fabric having an uneven surface. Belowthe ends 32 of the sheets 3| are mounted additional supports 33 andsheets 34 are folded over the supports.

At the bottom of the casing I0 is a water pan 35 which is adapted tocollect any water flowing from the sheet 3!. The ends 36 of the sheet 34extend into the bottom of the pan and take u the water from the pan. Afaucet or tap 31 is provided. This faucet 3'? will serve a doublefunction. It may of course be used to lower the level of the water inthe pan 35 or it may be adjusted :to allow a continual stream of waterto flow therefrom. Under certain conditions, such as in publicbuildings, it may be desirable to maintain a high degree of saturationof the sheet 3|. In

such an instance, the faucet 31 may be adjusted to continually drip orallow a small stream to flow therethrough so that fresh Water will becontinually supplied to the sheets 3| and of course to the sheets 34.

Water is supplied to the pan 22 through the pipe id which leads to astrainingassembly 4!, through the pipe G2 to the valve The valve is iscontrolled by the rod 35 which is slidably mounted in supports and whichat its lower end has a float It will be seen that when water is high inthe pan 35, the float A! and rod will be raised to turn off the valve43. However, as the water is used in the pan 85, the float will belowered and the valve 43 opened to allow additional water into the pan22.

Mounted in the casing is" adjacent the intake pipe M is a deflectingshield 55%, and mounted in 23. As shown in Fig. 4, the tubes 23 areprovided with openings 24 and may have at their ends clean-out plugs 25.Between the angle 20 and the pan 22 are screw plugs 26 so that theposition of the pan may be adjusted by turning the the intake pipe is afan 5i. As the is drawn through the intake pipe the shield 55 deflectsit down around the sheets 34 so that the air is humidified even beforeit passes through and around the sheets 3i.

Fig. 5 shows the manner in which my device may be adapted to the hot airducts of the average furnace. The pipe E4 would lead from the furmiceand the air would be passed through the humidifier out through the pipesi5 and H to the registers 5-3 and 54.

Where the system is used with a steam or hot water furnace, ducts 55 and56 may be placed below the average radiator and the air drawn.

down through the intake pipes M and 5'! by means of the fans 5! and 58into and through the humidifier and out through the pipes I5 and I! tothe ducts 59 and Eli.

It will be seen that with my humidifier'a constant supply of moisture isfurnished to replace the moisture dissipated by heat and expanding air.It will also be seen that the amount of ater in the humidifier will beautomatically controlled at all times, and that the water which flowsover and off of the sheet 3! is used by the sheet 3d a so thatthe-humidifier will be Imost-ecenomical to operate; r V

It will be further seen that the humidifier is supplied with twoadjustable means'of water disposal. The first is adjustable by the areaand character of the absorbent members 34 that-are:

be placed at any convenient point'in the system Where they will functionto draw the air from the rooms through the humidifier.

I claim: 7 v

1. A'humidifier comprising a casing, air inlet means for the casingadjacent the bottom thereof, air outlet means for the casing adjacentthe top thereof, absorbent sheets positioned Within the casing betweensaid inlet and outlet mea ns, means'ior distributing liduid to saidsheets, a Wessell within the casing on the bottom thereof to catchexcess liquid, a second group of absorbent sheets within said casingadjacent said inlet means and depending into said vessel, a float in said vessel responsive to the rise and fall of liquid in said vessel, andvalve means cooperating with said float to control the flow of liquid tosaid means.

2. .Ahuinidifier as set forth in claim 1, wherein saidliqui'ddistributing means consists of a pan and periloizated spaced pip-esextending ilaterally momsaid :to ted 'n-ythe latter, and said valvemeans when open, because liquid in; said wessel rnas fallen to apredeterrrdned level, milsliquid :into said spam. v

